Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kolonnawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kolonnawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,263 per month in Lisbon vs $507 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,315 per month in Lisbon vs $826 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,368 per month in Lisbon vs $1,144 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 346% more than Kolonnawa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 68% above the global median, while Kolonnawa is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.77

$4.08 LKR 1,361

290.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.8

$25.32 LKR 8,445

150.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.97

$8.28 LKR 2,761

25.36%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.41

$2.75 LKR 918

1.45%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 €2.02

$0.69 LKR 231

239.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.38 LKR 126

313.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.96

$2.30 LKR 767

49.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.38

$3.26 LKR 1,088

19.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.72 LKR 573

-37.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.53

$0.52 LKR 174

240.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.48

$0.74 LKR 247

131.08%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.72

$2.16 LKR 719

45.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.82

$8.26 LKR 2,755

65.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.92

$4.71 LKR 1,572

70.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.41

$8.07 LKR 2,693

92.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$7.32 LKR 2,442

-68.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$1.07 LKR 358

53.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.68

$5.80 LKR 1,935

-66.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$1.26 LKR 422

99.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.10 LKR 366

62.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.74

$1.40 LKR 466

43.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.15 LKR 383

71.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.52 LKR 172

61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.86

$9.92 LKR 3,310

-31.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.90

$10.34 LKR 3,447

-45.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.99 LKR 664

-30.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.61

$2.43 LKR 809

24.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.26

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.71

$0.41 LKR 137

946.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.35 LKR 117

142.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.79

$0.60 LKR 200

2946.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.20 LKR 401

65.83%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.0K €30.3K

$27.0K LKR 9.0M

29.76%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$39.5K €34.2K

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

12.35%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$146 €126

$59.9 LKR 20.0K

144.08%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.45 €17.67

$4.21 LKR 1,404

385.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.68

$14.88 LKR 4,964

161.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.33

$10.13 LKR 3,379

383.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.27

$1.66 LKR 553

1034.34%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.23

$3.38 LKR 1,129

181.66%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$608 €525

$37.47 LKR 12.5K

1522.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.3K

$439 LKR 146.5K

3659.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.8

$27.75 LKR 9,258

274.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.39

$19.76 LKR 6,591

113.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.7

$68.2 LKR 22.7K

35.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €104

$38.86 LKR 13.0K

208.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,401

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,095

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,634

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,736

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,621

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,740

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,369

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

16.45

-76.84%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kolonnawa: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $25.00 in Kolonnawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $231 – making Kolonnawa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lisbon vs Kolonnawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 346% more than Kolonnawa, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,394 per month in Lisbon and $761 in Kolonnawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,263 in Lisbon and $507 in Kolonnawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $608 per month in Lisbon and $37.47 in Kolonnawa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kolonnawa, where all-in costs run around $507, than in Lisbon at $2,263. In Kolonnawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kolonnawa costs $507 versus $2,263 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kolonnawa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.